The Princeton City Council backed an expansion of the Bureau/Putnam County Area Enterprise Zone to include hundreds of acres of Marquis owned land near Hennepin, although no specific development project has been proposed yet.

The Putnam County Rotary Club recently presented five awards to high school students at the Putnam County High School awards assembly held Wednesday, May 6.

Hall High School in Spring Valley announced its principal’s list for the second semester of the 2025-2026 school year, recognizing students for academic excellence.

The Bureau County Health Department board of health recently announced the retirement of board member Louis R. Lukancic, M.D.

Edward Jones in Lacon financial advisor Mary Chambers recently received a Chartered Financial Consultant designation.

Princeton High School announced its honor roll for the second semester of the 2025-26 school year.

The FCA Basketball Power Camp for boys and girls entering grades 4-8 will be held once again at Bureau Valley High School from 9 a.m. to noon on July 13-15. Also, the Walnut 3 on 3 Basketball and 5K Run/Walk for ALS are set for July 4.

Spring Creek Golf Course saw not one, but two holes-in-one shot on Sunday on the Spring Valley links. Corey VanSchaick of Oglesby aced the No. 3 hole from the White Tees and Gary Miller of Princeton later aced the same hole from the Gold Tees.

The Bureau County Fair Queens Pageants currently is accepting applications for the 2026 Little Miss, Jr Miss and Miss Bureau County Fair Queens titles.

The Marshall-Putnam Fair will host a free Senior Day on Thursday, July 16, from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Hunt Building, featuring live music, refreshments, and door prizes for visitors 65 and older.

Bureau Valley’s Logan Philhower is an all-stater again. The 2026 BCR Player of the Year has received Class 1A Honorable Mention All-State honors from the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association. He became Bureau Valley’s first player named all-state in 2025.

Last year, Logan Philhower set the school record for ERA at 1.20, becoming Bureau Valley’s first player to receive first-team All-State honors For an encore, the Storm ace lowered his school ERA record to 0.84 this season, going 4-2 with 89 strikeouts.

Work will replace the bridge deck. The structure and the Hennepin Canal Trail underneath the bridge will be closed during the project.

Illinois Valley Community College recently celebrated 49 students for completing the registered nursing program at the college’s associate’s degree nursing graduation on May 16.

The Putnam County Library’s Granville Branch offers free in-person and virtual programs in June, spanning fossils, history, America250, art, and textiles.

The Putnam County Library’s Condit Branch offers free programs in June, spanning art, film, America250, and a live blacksmith demonstration.

The annual “More on 34 Miles and Miles of Garage Sales” event stretches from La Salle County through Bureau County and into Henry County. Some sales begin Thursday, June 18, but most open Friday and Saturday.

Putnam County fell to Tremont in the IHSA Class 1A State championship on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the University of Illinois in Champaign.

Here is the 2026 All-BCR Baseball Team representing players from Bureau Valley, Hall, Princeton and St. Bede

Putnam County fought off North Clay for a 4-3 victory in eight innings during the IHSA Class 1A State semifinals on Friday, June 12, 2026, at the University of Illinois in Champaign.

The Tiskilwa Historical Society will recognize one of the oldest country school buildings in Illinois, and one of the few in continuous use for 150 years, at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 14.

The Putnam County Public Library District’s McNabb branch announced its remaining June programs.

Putnam County Panthers got some preparation for Friday's Class 1A state semifinal, making at stop at the Corn Crib in Normal and Yard Goats indoor facility in Champaign. The Panthers (25-11) will face North Clay (35-4) at 1 p.m. Friday at Illinois Field.

The Natural Land Institute’s Legacy Tree Program named its June Tree of the Month an American Elm located at Capron United Methodist Church, 250 W. North St., Capron.

The Putnam County Public Library District will host several programs and events in July.

Hall’s Luke Bryant, Princeton’s Ryan Jagers and St. Bede’s Ava Balestri earn unanimous all-conference honors in the Three Rivers East and Tri-County Confernce.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, issued Tornado Watch 308 at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, affecting 20 Illinois counties until 11 p.m.

The University of Illinois Extension will offer a free monthly Lunch N Learn Series for adults from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesdays July 8, Aug. 5, Sept. 9, Oct. 7, Nov. 11 and Dec. 9 at Nell’s Woodland, 2000 Alexis Ave., Ottawa.

Braden Curran will be playing baseball for Augustana College next spring, but first he will put the football pads back on. He will represent Hall High School in the upcoming 52nd Annual Shrine All-Star Football game on Saturday, June 20 in Bloomington

Princeton High School coach Patrick Hodge has announced the cross country/fitness runs for PHS for the rest of June, meeting at 7 p.m. on June 16, June 18, June 23 and June 26 in front of the school.

This year’s Walnut 5K Run/Walk for ALS is scheduled for Saturday, July 4 starting at 8 a.m. at Bureau Valley North School. All proceeds for the event will go toward research for ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

For generations, fastpitch softball has been a beloved summer tradition in Bureau County, bringing together athletes, friends, families, and fans for evenings of competition and community.

Keighley Davis will be playing volleyball for William Penn University this fall, but first she will suit up for basketball one more time. Princeton’s all-time leading scorer will be playing for the Class 1-2A North in Saturday’s IBCA All-Star Games in Pontiac.

Four St. Bede players have been added to the ICA 2A All-State Softball team, having been inadvertently omitted in its first release Monday - Ava Balestri, Lily Bosnich, Emma Slingsby and Macy Strauch .

The University of Illinois Extension will partner with Stronger YOU Bureau County to hold a free Stronger YOU Wellness Experience for community members from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, at Princeton High School, 103 S. Euclid Ave.

Susan Olson is the 2026 recipient of the Betty Pretzsch Memorial Volunteer Award given to a five-year member of the Friends of Princeton Public Library.

Princeton's Kristian Wahlgren (front center), who is the only time two-time state wrestling champion from the Illinois Valley, was accompanied by family and friends for his induction into the Shaw Media Illinois Valley Hall of Fame

The following property transfers were recently recorded at the Bureau County Recorder of Deeds’ office in the Bureau County Courthouse:

The following property transfers were recently recorded at the Bureau County Recorder of Deeds’ office in the Bureau County Courthouse:

Elisa Gugerty was the winner of Tuesday’s Wyaton Hills Ladies Play Day of Reverse your score with a score of 15.

Avah Oertel had more hits than Taylor this spring. She batted .607 with a school single-season record 17 homers, 59 RBIs, 19 doubles and 55 runs scored. The repeat BCR Player of the Year is already Princeton’s career leader for home runs (35), RBIs (137) and doubles (35).

Yes, we needed the rains that drenched us Sunday and Monday. But there is a severe weather watch looming Wednesday into Thursday and there could be problems if the rain keeps coming in heavy downpours.

The Spring Valley Municipal Band will launch its 2026 free summer concert series at 7 p.m. Friday, June 12, at Spring Valley’s downtown mini-park.

Three members of Princeton’s regional finalist softball team were named to the 2026 Illinois Coaches Association Class 2A All-State Softball Team. Avah Oertel, Keely Lawson and Caroline Keutzer. Hall’s Caroline Morris and Bernie Larsen were named to third team

Illinois Valley Community College will host an Express Registration for new students from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at the college’s Ottawa Center, 321 W. Main St., Ottawa.

The suspect in the April 6 holdup of Granville National Bank has been granted a new trial.

Here’s an updated look at offensive school records for Princeton High School softball through the 2026 season

Here’s a look at Princeton High School softball pitching school records as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026 as researched by BCR Sports Editor Kevin Hieronymus

Longtime BCR Sports Editor Kevin Hieronymus received seven awards in Thursday’s Illinois Press Association Contest in East Peoria

Illinois Valley Community College will begin its summer schedule in mid-June.